US Speaker backs prisoner swap probe

World / 3 June 2014, 8:54pm

Reuters

US Army Sergeant Bowe Berghdal is seen in this handout image. Picture: US Army, via Reuters

Washington - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, on Tuesday backed calls for congressional hearings on the decision to swap five Taliban prisoners from the Guantanamo detention center for captured US soldier Bowe Bergdahl.

In a statement, the Republican Boehner described how President Barack Obama's administration had consulted with Congress more than two years ago about the possibility of such an operation. He said congressional leaders had expressed serious concerns about the plans, which were never satisfactorily answered.

“The administration has invited serious questions into how this exchange went down and the calculations the White House and relevant agencies made in moving forward without consulting Congress despite assurances it would re-engage with members on both sides of the aisle,” Boehner said.